The Hero Indian Open is back in 2023 for the first time since 2019 when Scotsman Stephen Gallacher won his fourth DP World Tour title. After successfully picking the winner in Thorbjorn Olesen at the Thailand Classic, I’ve chosen a handful of players I fancy to contend this week, but first…
- Also this week: Honda Classic betting tips
2023 Hero Indian Open preview
Venue: DLF G&CC, New Dehli, India
Date: February 23-26, 2023
Course stats: Par 72; 7,380 yards
Purse: $2 million
Previous champion: Stephen Gallacher (-9 in 2019)
TV coverage
Thursday: Sky Sports Golf from 7.30am and Main Event from 11.15am
Friday: Sky Sports Golf and Main Event from 7.30am
Saturday: Sky Sports Golf from 7.00am and Main Event from 8.00am
Sunday: Sky Sports Golf and Main Event from 7.00am
2023 Hero Indian Open betting tips
The Banker: Jeunghun Wang @ 25/1 with Bet365
Jeunghun Wang has been unbelievable since being back from Military Service and has found himself in contention four times already in his 11 starts since returning to golf.
Wang finished 2nd in this event the year before it moved to its current venue DLF, but he has had a couple of solid starts here as well that promised to be a lot better at the start of the week. Both times he’s finished outside the top 40, but both times he was inside the top 20 (9th and 9th) at the halfway stage. If he finds himself in the mix again, I think he can stay there given his current form and the weak field.
3rd and 8th these past two weeks, Wang will look to take advantage of this current run, and I think he can.
The Each-Way Play: Pablo Larrazabal @ 33/1 with Bet365
Pablo Larrazabal is an excellent winner at this level, having done so seven times in his career which, if my calculations are correct, is only bettered by Thomas Bjorn in this field and only matched by last week’s winner, Thorbjorn Olesen.
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Despite his obvious winner credentials, he is marked as three times less likely to win than the favourite and whilst Joost Luiten is returning to form, I cannot justify his odds at 10 points shorter.
The Spaniard won twice in 2022 to extend his incredible winning record and he has proven time and time again he can perform on tough layouts, including on this one where he was 4th on debut and came back the following year and was 3rd after round one before fading away.
A better player in this field than he is being credited for, I love Larrazabal’s price.
Another Each-Way Play: Alexander Knappe @ 66/1 with Bet365
Alexander Knappe ranked 6th in ball striking in Singapore and I opted for David Ravetto instead of him last week and paid for it. This time around, he ranked 3rd in Thailand in the same category and I am not going to overlook him twice.
Knappe has played here once before, finishing 17th on his one and only start and given he was 73rd after round one, that was a tremendous bounce back.
Take the man who is hitting the ball as good as anyone in this field right now, as he looks to pound greens and fairways on this difficult course.
The Long Shot: Thomas Aiken @ 100/1 with Bet365
Now, it is 2023 and that is Thomas Aiken at 100-1 instead of 1000-1, but we have seen multiple players of late, namely Joost Luiten and Marcel Siem, roll back the years and with a 22nd place finish last week, the South African Aiken may be ready to do the same.
He ranked 1st in greens in regulation and 4th in driving accuracy last week and given that was his bread and butter when playing at his best, there is every chance we see this veteran extend his form for another week.
Not the flashiest player of all time, Aiken is easily overlooked at this point of his career, but given he won on his only start in India (2013 Avantha Masters) and he hit the ball so well last week, I am willing to chance him on a course that will reward patience and potentially a veteran presence.
- Visit Bet365 for more prices.
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